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MG TD TF 1500 - winter project

Anyone have to much time on their hands? Check this out. Pretty amazing.

http://www.moyermade.com/chevyV8.html
LaVerne

Hahahaha...... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SeUMDY01uUA
gblawson(gordon)

I'd seen that one before Gordon. In either case I'm impressed beyond belief.
LED DOWNEY

my goodness!!!This really adds a far-away perspective to the scale I am on whilst restoring the TD. So far my most special act was making some springs myself (the three that go into the clutch to keep the levers in position). Thanks for sharing these remarkable performers. Greetings, Huib
Huib Bruijstens

I suppose I shouldn't say anything, as someone who has spent an inordinate amount of time and a lot of money rebuilding something that was designed as an inexpensive, nearly disposable mode for sport driving... but something about doing things in miniature, including all working parts, gives me the creeps. Don't get me wrong, I admire the craftsmanship, but it is even weirder than the guys who do a perfect restoration and place the car in the living room, never filling it with fluids, content to look and touch it only. In fact, somewhere I read once of a perfect TC that was sold. The new owner asked the builder who had finished it many years before if he wanted a ride after the new owner filled it with fluids and started it... the old owner declined.

Of course, this is pretty much the one month aniversary of finishing Tommy (another thing that once would have given me the yips... naming a car) and I alreday have 1300 miles on him. So obviously I'm way, way over on the other side of the issue.

warmly,
dave, who as a child built the 'plastic, see through V8' and was pissed as hell that the flex in the plastic didn't really allow the little electric motor to move all the parts properly despite the supplied lithium grease...
Dave Braun

Dave,

You have exorcised many years of demons for me. I had the same experience with the 'Visible V8' and I always thought it was my lack of skill that prevented it from operating!

Tom
Tom Balutis

Dave and Tom,
Thanks for reminding me about visible model engines of which I had completely forgotten. As a child, my Dad and I built many of these as well. I loved the P&W Wasp 9 cyl. radial the most. Check this out this nice site:
http://www.xs4all.nl/~robdebie/models/visible-engines.htm
Best wishes,
Robert
(Caretaker of Dad's TDs 14649 and 26273)
Robert Rutschman

Ah Ha. Now I know the connection we all have. I also did the radial engine. No the little electric motor wouldn't turn it. I seem to remember little red lights that were supposed to light up as spark plugs when you rotated the engine. Don't think they ever worked. I remember one heck of a lot of parts. Wonder why we don't see these things anymore? Totaly uncool these days I suppose.


LaVerne
LaVerne

I forgot about the little red lights. I got all that to work, but the engine needed 'help' to turn with the electric motor, and made awful clicking noises as the parts would flex and want to toggle. Overall, I think if my Dad had been at all mechanical I could have made it work with help... but that's another story. I'm the odd duck in my family of six kids and the standard two parents, no one else matches up with my passions or interests!

warmly,
dave (who might have been adopted except for the family resemblence)
Dave Braun

I built tons of models...no invisible engines, but just about 'all' the AMT models of the '50s and early '60s. I always stayed away from Revell as they were a PITA to build and never went together as well as others (more detailed however).
The only invisible thing I built was the Invisible Man and by the time you glued all the guts in, be damned if you could get the 'clear' chest to close!!!!!
gblawson(gordon)

Ok, since were going down memory lane now. I did a lot of Revell models. Mostly planes, B-17, 707, SR-71- F-111, F-105 , Spitfire. I always thought they were better than the Monogram. Loved that glue. My folks told me that I took appart the Marx Electric train Set. Never ran agin I geuss. Took the tubes out of an old radio that they said they didn't know how I got them out. Got a Tyco 1/32 slot car set once when Stromberg was the ticket. Had to modify the cars to suit my taste. It's in my nature that when something mechanical is broken that I have a need to take it apart to see how it works and why it's broken. My attitude is that if it's already broken, how can I hurt it. Sometimes they get fixed. Most times not. Just last week my son gave me his refridgerator that wasn't that old. He bought a new one with the ice and water in the door. So I put this one out in my shop to keep a cold beverage or two in. He says the ice maker never worked all the time he's had it. I hook up the water and it runs through the cycle and sure enough no ice. I suspect the water valve, so I take it out and it looks as if it had been frozen a one point and the metal bracket is bulged. I take it with me to the appliance store and have them order a new one. When I get home I decide to take the old one apart to see what happened. I put the metal piece on the vice and hammer it back staight and put all the guts back together and put it back on the fridge and wala.. I got ice. new valve is in the droor waiting for the enivitible failure of my repair. I think us car tinkeres just have it in our genes.

LaVerne
LaVerne

If you really want to have some fun try and restore some old antique clocks.... much like our MG cars.... some wood work and some metal work with reeeeeeally fine small parts that are hard to get and or work on and can fill many winter hours:) Working on these make working on my Mooney and now the MG a much "larger" pleasure:)
Regards
Rod M
Rod Murray

You mean like this? I bought it as a basket case. It was fun figuring out how to put it together. It was made by David Dutton in Antrim, NH, about 1835.

Bud Krueger

I have a good friend who is a clock maker. It's a dying art. If you want tiny, He used to be a watch maker 30 years ago but surrendered that trade as the digital stuff was taking over. I have him come over if my grandfather starts acting up, but he says he doesn't do anymore public repair. Just buys and sells on ebay now.
LaVerne

Probably one of the things that started me into cars. My folks gave me a Techumsa engine kit (lawn mower size)for my 12th birthday. Took me about 3 days to put it together and get it to run.

Gordon. I don't know if it is absolutly true. But I remember hearing that Ferrari was so impressed, they gave him a real one.
Bruce-C

If it is of interest to you clock maker/MG enthusiasts, one of our more accomplished clock makers is James Lea, in Rockport, Maine.

http://www.jamesleaclocks.com

At last report he owned an mg td, Triumph Mayflower, Rover P4, and Austin Healey 3000.

I have enough trouble keeping track of parts that I can nominally see. I can't imagine keeping track of the zillion parts that fit into a clock.

Larry
Larry Shoer

Bud: Your wooden works clock (growler?)works is shows some evidence of some very well done tooth repair . Do you have the case (called a transition case)? I thought that D.Dutton came from Mont Vernon NH? I have 9 wooden works and love working on them!
Regards
Rod M
Rod Murray

Forgive the senior moment, Ron. As the clock paper shows, David Dutton did his work in Mont Vernon, NH. Yes, I do have the case in which the works are assembled. The 30 hour movement would mean an awful lot of winding if used continuously. I only use the clock on occasion, usually at Thanksgiving time. It's getting awfully hard to find the proper lubricant, porpoise jaw oil.

Bud Krueger

And the case (with the face removed for the moment). Some of the dental work was done by previous owners, some by me.

Bud Krueger

Bud; there are some closck parts suppliers who will sell some "La Pearl" clock oil, from France that does the trick nicely. If you can't find one on the east coast then try "Timesavers" in Pheonix.
Regards Rod M
Rod Murray

This thread was discussed between 30/09/2008 and 06/10/2008

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